Angie's List Report: Choosing a Contractor

Your house is your biggest asset so you should do as much as you can to avoid a hiring disaster.

In this Angie’s List report, why the questions you ask are important when hiring a contractor.

Gordon Welt enjoys the deck he had installed over the summer. But he did a lot of work before his deck project ever began.

Welt sought bids from five contractors before picking the company he felt was right for the job.

“I knew he was experienced and some of the terms he was using were very easily conveyed to me as a customer and being able to get our ideas on paper before he even left to do the estimate,” said homeowner Gordon Welt.

You should meet all potential contractors face-to-face and prepare a list of questions to ask every contractor you interview specific to your project.

“When interviewing your contractor you want to use some of the same skills you might use when interviewing someone for a job at work. You want to ask open-ended questions because you’ll learn a lot more about how they’ll handle situations. One of my favorite questions is to ask them about a job that didn’t go right and how they fixed it,” said Angie's List founder Angie Hicks.

It’s also important to ask questions that go beyond the basics of the project. Make sure you have a good rapport with the contractor. That can make communicating easier, especially when it comes to changes or problems in the middle of the job.

"Follow your gut instinct when interviewing especially if you’re doing a kitchen remodel because you are going to have this company or contractors in your home for a long time. In fact, they kind of become a part of your family,” Hicks said.

“So, take the initiative. Be involved and speak up during the whole process and that’s the only way you can get a good product at the end,” Welt added.

There’s a lot riding on any home improvement project, including time and money, so never hire someone you don’t feel comfortable with. Always treat hiring like building a relationship rather than just carrying out a transaction. It’ll put you more at ease with any decision you make regarding your home.